Tempering valve for tempering water



4, 1956 v. J. HlVELY 2,758,610

EMPERING VALVE FOR TEMPERING WATER 7 Filed Aug. 3, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mimlmmm IN V EN TOR.

Vern eLHively B ATTORLWYS 4, 1956 v. J. HIVELY EMPERING VALVE FOR TEMPERING WATER Filed Aug. 5, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. VerneZHiveZy ATTORNEYS United States Patent TENLPERING VALVE FOR TEMPERING WATER Vern J. Hively, Alliance, Ohio Application August 3, 1953, Serial No. 371,834

'2 Claims. (Cl. 137-605) The invention relates to the tempering of water of any given temperature by mixing therewith the necessary proportions of water of a different temperature to either heat or cool the mixture to any desired temperature, and relates more particularly to a. tempering valve for accomplishing the same, and this application is a continuation in part of my prior application Serial No. 258,395, filed November 27, 1951, now abandoned. p

The invention may be used for warming the water admitted to a flush tank to prevent condensation of moisture on the exterior walls of the tank, or may be used for cooling hot water admitted to the hot water faucets of lavatory basins or bowls, bath tubs or showers.

One of the greatest inconveniences connected with toilets having flush tanks, especially during warm weather, is the condensation of moisture from the surrounding air upon the exterior walls of the tank and consequent dripping of condensate therefrom upon the floor of thebathroom or lavatory.

This sweating or condensation of moisture upon the exterior of the tank is caused by the low temperature of the water supplied to the tank, and this condition is aggravated where the water is supplied from a relatively deep well or other source which provides water considerably lower in temperature than the room temperature.

This results in chilling of the walls of the tank whereby the moisture content of the surrounding air condenses upon contact with the cold exterior walls of the tank and drips upon the floor, often requiring that pans, towels or other unsightly articles be placed under the tank to catch the continual dripping of condensate.

This disadvantage and inconvenience may be overcome, and the condensation prevented, by raising the temperature of the water entering the tank to a point sufiiciently close to the room temperature so as to maintain the exterior walls of the tank above the dew point at which precipitation or condensation of moisture occurs.

This may be accomplished by locating the improved water tempering valve in the line supplying water to the tank and admitting the necessary amount of hot water therethrough so as to temper the water entering the tank sufiiciently close to the room temperature.

In homes provided with automatic clothes washers and/or dish washers, it is necessary that the water furnished thereto be of considerably higher temperature than is desirable or safe at the faucet of a lavatory or bathroom basin or bowl, bath tub, shower or the like.

This result may be obtained by connecting the hot water line from the water heater directly to the automatic clothes washer and/or dish washer, and by locating the improved water tempering valve in the hot water line leading to the faucets of the wash basins, bath tubs and "ice showers so as to admit sufiicient cold water therethrough to lower the temperature of the hot water to a point where it may be safely used without danger of scalding the user.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a tempering valve which may be located in either a cold water line or a hot water line and adapted to admit any desired proportions of water of a different temperature for tempering the water in said line to either raise or lower the temperature thereof as desired.

Another object is to provide such a water tempering valve comprising a substantially inverted, U-shape housing the two legs of the housing providing inlets for hot water and cold water respectively, an adjustable tempering valve being located in the housing intermediate said inlets, and an oulet provided in the housing at one side of the adjusting valve and substantially in line with one of the inlets.

A further object is to provide a novel form of gravity operated check valve in each inlet, so as to prevent the water from either line from backing up or siphoning into the other line.

A further object is to provide check valves of the character referred to which are noiseless in operation.

It is also an object of the invention to provide spring means for closing the check valve in the event the valve is located in a horizontal position.

Another object is to provide guide ribs within the inlet portions of the valve housing for guiding the check valves as they move to open and closed positions, and preventing chattering, i

A still further object is to provide a check valve of the character referred to comprising a cylindrical body with an enlarged head at its upper end and having longitudinal grooves extending from its lower end to a point just below the head.

Still another object is to provide such a check valve in which the grooves are spirally located.

Another object of the invention is to provide a water tempering valve of the character referred to in which the adjustable tempering valve is provided with means for holding it in various adjusted positions from the fully opened to the fully closed positions.

The above and other objects, apparent from the drawings and following description, may be attained, the above described difliculties overcome and the advantages and results obtained, by the apparatus, construction, arrangement and combinations, subcombinations and parts which comprise the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which, illustrative of the best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying the principle, being set forth in detail in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which;

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved water tempering valve;

Fig. 2 an elevation of a toilet flush tank showing the application of the water tempering valve thereto for tempering the water supplied to the tank by mixing hot water therewith;

Fig. 3 an elevation of a portion of a hot water tank, with hot water line connected thereto for furnishing scalding water to an automatic clothes washer and automatic dish washer, showing the improved water tempering valve connected to the hot water line for tempering the water to be supplied to the faucets of lavatories or bathroom wash basins, bath tubs and showers;

Fig. 4 an enlarged, vertical, sectional view through the improved water tempering valve;

Fig. 5 a horizontal, sectional view, taken as on the line 55, Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 an enlarged, fragmentary, horizontal, sectional view, taken as on the line 6-6, Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 an exploded, perspective view of the adjustable tempering valve and associated washer and nut;

Fig. 8 a detached, perspective view of one of the improved checlt valves;

Fig. 9 a transverse, sectional view through one of the inlet legs of the valve housing, on line 9-9, Fig. 4;

Fig. 10 a fragmentary, longitudinal, sectional view through one inlet leg of the valve housing, showing the spring which may be used for closing the check valve when the valve is located in horizontal position; and,

Fig. 11 a detached, perspective view of a modified form of check valve.

Referring now more particularly to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, in which similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout, the improved water tempering valve to which the invention pertains is mounted within a housing 15, of generally inverted U-shape, having the depending legs 16 and 17 providing inlets for the water to be tempered and the tempering water respectively.

For the assistance of the plumber or other person making the connection, the inlet legs 16 and 17 may be provided with some suitable identifying marks upon their exteriors, such for instance as the relatively large numerals 1 and 2 which are cast or otherwise permanently displayed thereon, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

The water line of the water to be tempered should always be connected to the inlet identified by the numeral 1 thereon, while the line for the tempering water should always be connected to the inlet leg identified by the numeral 2 thereon.

An outlet 18, for the tempered water is provided in one side of the housing, at the upper end thereof, preferably in line with the inlet leg 16. This outlet may be tapered and provided with pipe threads 19, as best shown in Fig. 4, for receiving the tapered, threaded end portion 20 of the outlet pipe 21 which leads to the point where the tempered water is to be furnished.

In the upper portion of the inverted U-shape housing 15, at a point intermediate the inlet legs 16 and 17, is formed a valve casing 22, having the vertical, cylindrical valve chamber 23 therein, within which is rotatably mounted the cylindrical valve 24, which is provided with the diametrically disposed ports 25, adapted to register with the inlet and outlet ports 26 and 27 of the valve casing.

The valve '24 is provided with the reduced stem 28 located through the enlarged, internally threaded opening 29 communicating with the upper end of the valve chamber 23, and the rubber washer 30 is located in said opening and held in contact with the shoulder 31 of the valve by means of the threaded nipple 32.

The upper end of the valve stem 28 may be corrugated as at 33 to fit within the similarly corrugated bore 34 of the valve operating handle 35. A screw 36 is received in the threaded bore 37 at the top of the valve stem to retain the handle thereon.

In order to hold the valve 24 in any desired adjusted position, the periphery of the valve casing 22 may be provided with a plurality of notches 39 adapted to be engaged by the tapered end 40 of the spring loaded pawl or plunger 41 slidably mounted within the bore 42 in the handle 35 and normally urged toward the valve casing 22 as by the coil spring 43.

Thus the valve 24 may be held in various adjusted positions between the fully opened and fully closed positions so as to permit the desired amount of water from the inlet 17 to pass therethrough to the outlet 18.

For the purpose of preventing water from either the hot water or cold water line from passing through the valve and backing up in the other line, a check valve is provided in each of the outlets 16 and 17. As these check valves are identical only one of them will be described.

The check valve casing may comprise an oppositely tapered and threaded tube 44, the upper tapered threaded end 45 of which is inserted into the internal pipe threads 46 within the inlet neck 16 or 17, as the case may be, while the lower tapered threaded end 47 may receive a pipe or pipe coupling in either the hot or cold water line, as the case may be.

The check valve comprises a cylindrical body 48, having a sliding fit within the tubular valve casing 44, and provided at its upper end with the enlarged head 49. A plurality of longitudinal grooves 50, preferably three as shown in Pig. 8, are formed in the exterior of the valve body 48, extending from the lower end thereof to a point just below the head 49. These grooves are of suitable size to permit a capacity flow of water therethrough, and each groove preferably terminates in the rounded upper end 50a.

It will thus be evident that when the valve 48 is mounted in the tubular valve casing 44, each longitudinal groove 50 therein forms a longitudinal passage or port in the valve, terminating in a transverse passage at 50a near the upper end of the valve.

When the check valve is in closed position, as best shown in Fig. 4, the enlarged head 49 thereof rests upon the upper end of the tubular valve casing 45, the ports 50 in the check valve being located below the upper end of the valve casing 45 so as to prevent any passage of water downwardly from the housing 15 through the inlet.

When water pressure from the line is exerted upwardly against the check valve 48, it will raise the same to the broken line position shown in Fig. 4, raising the upper ends 50a of the grooves 50 above the upper end of the tubular valve casing 44, so that water may pass upwardly from the line through the grooves in the check valve and into the housing 15.

When water pressure in the line is cut off the check valve 48 will quietly slide down, by gravity, to the closed position so that the operation of the check valve is entirely noiseless.

For the purpose of guiding the check valve as it moves to open and closed positions, diametrically opposite longitudinal ribs 51 are formed upon the interior of the inlet necks 16 and 17, having tapered shoulders 52 at their upper ends to limit the upward movement of the check valves, and prevent chattering.

In Fig. 10 is shown a stainless steel, compression spring 53, which may be interposed between the head 49 of the check valve and shoulders 52 in order to close the check valve when the housing 15 is located in horizontal position, in which case the check valve would not close by gravity.

For the purpose of preventing any noise when the valve closes and the head 49 thereof seats upon the upper end of the tubular valve casing 44, a washer 54 of fiber, rubber or similar material may be located between the head 49 and the upper end of the valve casing, to prevent metal to metal contact.

In Fig. 11 is shown a slightly modified form of check valve, indicated at 48 and provided with the enlarged head 49'. The longitudinal grooves 50 extend spirally around the exterior of the valve, from the lower end thereof to a point just below the head.

The flow of water through these spiral grooves, as the valve is raised or opened, will cause the valve to rotate upon its axis, tending to prevent the accumulation of lime deposits or other foreign matter, so as to insure proper closing of the valve the head thereof seats upon the upper end of the tubular valve casing.

Since the parts are preferably made of brass or similar material, the type of check valve shown in Fig. 11 may be easily produced by first forming the valve 48. as, shown in Fig. 8, and then twisting the sameaxially to. produce the spiral grooves 50".

In Fig.2 is shown an application of the invention to a flush tank indicated at 55, 'for the purpose of tempering the water supplied to the tank so as to warm the water to substantially room temperature and thus prevent condensation of moisture upon the exterior of the tank and the accompanying inconvenience and annoyance, caused thereby.

For this application the cold water line 56 is connected to the inlet neck.16 of the housing 15,, by means of the coupling 44, and the hot water line 57 is similarly connected to the inlet neck 17 of the housing. The outlet pipe 21 is connected to the inlet 55 of the tank.

The improved tempering valve may be located in the basement, between the floor joists, or if desired may be located within the bathroom or lavatory, just below the flush tank, in which case the housing 15 and handle '35 may be chrome or nickel plated so as to coincide with the bathroom fixtures.

With the connection as shown in Fig. 2, the handle 35 may be operated to set the adjustable tempering valve 24 at any desired adjustment, to permit the necessary proportion of hot water from the line 57 to pass therethrough to mix with the Water from the cold Water line 56 and temper the same before it passes upwardly through the pipe 21 to the tank 55.

In Fig. 3 is shown the application of the improved water tempering valve to a hot water line 58, leading from a conventional hot water tank 59. Branch pipes 60 may communicate with the hot water line 58, by means of a coupling 61, these branch pipes lead to an automatic clothes washer and automatic dish washer, and may deliver thereto water at approximately 185 F. from the hot water tank 59.

In order to temper the water in the hot water line, after it passes the automatic clothes washer and dish washer and before it is delivered to the faucets of wash basins, bath tubs, showers and the like, the Water tempering valve is connected to the hot water line 58 beyond the coupling 61, the hot water pipe 58 being connected to the inlet neck 16 of the valve housing 15, as shown in Fig. 3.

The cold'water line 62 is connected to the inlet leg 17 of the valve housing, and the pipe 21 leads from the outlet of the valve housing to the faucets of the wash basins, bath tubs, showers and the like.

By operating the valve handle 35 the tempering valve may be set at any desired position, to admit the desired amount of cold water from the line 62, so that the tempered water furnished to the faucets, through the pipe 21, may be sufiiciently reduced in temperature so that it may be safely used without danger of scalding the hands of the user.

From the above it will be obvious that a simple, efficient and easily installed and operated water tempering valve is provided by means of which water of any temperature may be constantly tempered to any desired degree, whereby cold water may be raised to any desired temperature, or hot water may be lowered to any desired temperature, as required.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such words are used for descriptive purposes herein andare intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiments of the improved construction illustrated and described herein are by way of example, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described the invention or discovery, the construction, the operation, and use of preferred embodiments thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful construcappended claims.

I claim:' X

1. A combination hot and cold water fitting for toilet bowl flush tank supply connections comprising a housing having a pair of spaced parallel'hollow legs of equal cross-sectional area, an inlet connection attached to the lower end of each leg," an outlet Connection at the upper end of One leg, means for connecting said outlet to the flush tank, a subsantially horizontal hollow cross connection connecting the upper end of the other leg to said one leg at a -point, imme ia e y bel w aid ou l connee tionv andproviding communication between said legs, a rotary tempering valve located at anintermediate point in said cross connection, means for delivering cold water to the inlet of said one leg, means for delivering hot water to the inlet of said other leg, said rotary tempering valve controlling the amount of hot water only delivered from the hot water inlet to said outlet, said valve being of cylindrical form and being rotatably supported transversely of said horizontal cross connection and having an opening therethrough located transversely of the valve for communication with said cross connection on opposite sides of the valve, ,a coaxial stem on the valve, a handle connected to said stem, the flow of cold water from the cold water inlet to said outlet being unobstructed, a valve seat in each of said inlet connections, and a check valve having a cylindrical body slidably mounted in each inlet connection and an enlarged, rounded, head at its upper end normally seating upon the valve seat, vertical guide ribs in said hollow legs for guiding the heads of the check valves and inwardly disposed upwardly tapered shoulders at the upper ends of said guide ribs for limiting upward movement of the check valves and preventing chattering thereof by wedging of the rounded head of the check valve between said inwardly disposed tapered shoulders.

2. As an article of manufacture, a combination hot and cold water fitting for toilet bowl flush tank supply connections comprising a one-piece casting in the form of a tubular housing having two spaced hollow legs of equal cross-sectional area, joined at their upper ends by a hollow cross arm, internal screw threads at the lower end of each leg, an externally threaded tubular inlet connection attached to the internal threads of each leg, a valve seat upon the upper end of each inlet connection, a cylindrical check valve slidably mounted in each inlet connection and having an enlarged rounded head normally seated upon said valve seat, vertical guide ribs in said hollow legs for sliding contact with said rounded heads, inwardly disposed tapered shoulders at the upper ends of said guide ribs for limiting upward movement of the check valves and preventing chattering thereof, an outlet connection at the upper end of :one leg, means for connecting said outlet to the flush tank, means for connecting the inlet connection of said one leg to a cold obvious to those skilled in the art, are set forth in the water supply, means for connecting the inlet connection of the other leg to a hot water supply, a cylindrical valve casing located to said hollow cross arm and disposed transversely thereto at a point between said other leg and said outlet connection, said valve casing having a fiat bottom wall and being open at its upper end, a peripheral shoulder in the valve casing at a point below its upper end, a cylindrical tempering valve rotatably mounted in said valve casing and having a flat lower end contacting the flat bottom wall of the valve casing, there being .7 upon said axial stem, and cooperating means upon the handle and the valve casing for holding the tempering valve in adjusted position, whereby said tempering valve controls only the amount of hot water deliveredfrom said other leg to said outlet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 64,072 Case Apr. 23, 1867 154,544 Doten Sept. 1, 1874 264,338 Redmond Sept. 12, 1882 276,170 Flower Apr. 24, 1883 859,236 Maier July 9, 1907 883,874 Gambee Apr. 7, 1908 1,096,385 Mueller May 12, 1914 8 Broido Ian. 4, 1927 Adney Mar. 18, 1943 Gaines Mar. 29, 1949 Iaegle Oct. 2, 1951 Toye Nov. 24, 1953 Oliverio Dec. 29, 1953 Watts Aug. 30, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS France of 1936 OTHER REFERENCES American Builders Handbook, by H. Cobb; Wm. H. Wise & Co., New York, N. Y., 1950 (page 382). 

